Construction of a translational lacZ fusion system to study gene regulation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

A translational lacZ reporter system to study gene regulation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) was developed. The pUC18-based vector pLES94 transforms Ng and recombines into the Ng chromosome at the site of the proAB genes. The vector contains a restriction site for cloning promoters that will result in a lacZ gene fusion. Initial cloning and characterization of promoters can be done in Escherichia coli. The vector contains both ApR and CmR genes, however the ApR gene is lost when the insert combines into the Ng chromosome. This system gives single copy expression of the fusion and does not result in the inactivation of the gene of interest.